In This World, I'm All Alone
by polybi
Summary: Once Upon a Time...there was a group of mermaids and mermen who called the island of Mako off the Queensland, Australia. One day, one of the mermaids found herself transported to an American town in Maine called Storybrook. That began an amazing adventure with the merfolk of Mako and the land-people of Storybrook... Let's say, Comments and suggestions welcome.
1. Chapter 1

_**I have become enamored with a group of mermaids that live near Queensland in Australia. They are known as Mako Mermaids The have been sight in a place called Netflix.**_

 _ **And I kinda figured that since another place named Storybrooke already had at least two sea creatures (at least in MY universe), I thought it would be a great idea to bring them together.**_

 _ **This is a short intro to the story. The usual SQ ships will be sailing, plus this will be in the At The End Of The Day universe. All 9 mermaids, 2 mermen, and 2 land people will be represented. And there might be sex involved.**_

 _ **Mako Mermaids is property of Jonathan Schiff Prods., Network Ten (AUS), and Netflix (USA). Other than that, the usual disclaimers. My writing is not as good as it used to be. Please leave COMMENTS, but try to be kind.**_

* * *

The young woman could feel morning sun as she awakened. What she was laying on felt like wood. She's like to know how she got to where she was. It was different than the place where she came from. There was an ocean, but it looked colder. It wasn't the Gold Coast.

It wasn't Brisbane.

It wasn't home.

The boat that was in front of her was not a boat that was found in the Gold Coast. It was a ship. A mighty ship. One that would wind up at a Disney resort had they built one in Brisbane. It indeed looked like something that would be navigated by a pirate of old.

The woman looked around. There was a town much much smaller than Brisbane , in fact it looked much smaller. A fishing town maybe.

She used her hands to brush off the dry sand. Dry sand. She looked down and examined. Legs. still there. Wearing the same dress she wore before. Checked her wrists. Bracelets...check. Ornate silver ring with a glimmering turquoise stone. Still there.

The woman was weary. She tried to get up but she could not. Suddenly she heard animated conversation from the pier. It didn't sound like anything angry. More like conversations that some of the men had about the Brisbane Lions' sorry rankings as of late.

There was a blond woman wearing a badge, a woman with darker hair wearing what could be describes as a business suit, A tall blonde women wearing a stole that seemed too hot for the weather, a redheaded young woman wearing denim, and a darker woman in leather. It was the woman in leather who saw the younger woman, pointer out, then all four quickly raced from the pier.

When they gathered around the young blonde woman, there were muffled questions about where she came from, how did she get to where she was now. There were questions she'd like to know tge answers to as well: the last thing she remembered was swimming into that violent vortex then passing out. Where the girl come from? That would be on a need to know basis, and right now they didn't need to know.

"Sirena? Is that your name...? The younger blonde was about to deny, but she realized that was the name clearly stated on her necklace. "My name is Emma Swan-Mills. I'm the Sheriff." Then she introduced her companions: "This is the Mayor of our town...and my wife...Regina Swan-Mills...these are my friends Cru...Ursula...and the redhead on the end is Ariel..." The smile she gave was small and tried to hide the fear she had. She was a trusting soul in Brisbane, but this was not Brisbane...

"Welcome to Storybrooke, Ms...Sirena, is it?" The dark-haired woman exuded power and confidence. She was also quite beautiful, as much as her blonde wife, the sheriff. The haughty blonde named Cru and the equally haughty dark woman Ursula just stood there quietly and watched. But it was the woman with the flaming red hair that noticed something startlingly familiar about the woman. Specifically the ring Sirena was wearing. The redhead knew something about this woman, she just needed to confirm it.

While everyone else was crowded around an increasingly apprehensive Sirena, the redhead knelt down and asked a gently pointed question...

"Where's your pod?"

Sirena acted as if she did not know. The others looked at the Sheriff for guidance. Emma simply shook her head. "I kinda know when someone's bullshitting me. My number one superpower." Then Emma turned to Ariel, "What's a pod, anyway?" Ariel replied that she's explain later. Then she looked at the blonde still laying in the sand. Cru was holding a bottle of what seemed to be water. Ariel asked for the bottle and Cru reluctantly gave it to her.

The ginger then too a brief whiff. "This is actual water?" "Surprised?" Then Cru turned to Ursula "It seems a certain fiance wants to put me on the wagon.." Ursula responded with a quick kiss on the lips, while Emma, Regina, and Ariel responded with a quick roll of the eyes. Ariel then opened the bottle, looked at Sirena with caring eyes. "It's alright," said the redhead. "You're safe. I'll prove it to you..."

The ginger then poured just a few drops of water on her hand. Then she started to count...

"Ten." She handed the bottle back to Cru.

"Nine" Regina: "Here we go again.."

"Eight" Emma: I knew I should have brought towels..."

"Don't worry. Seven." Sirena started to figure out what was happening...

"Six" ...she just wanted to see if her suspicions were correct.

"Five." Then it started, What seemed to be a mass of bubbles were forming up Ariel's body...

"Four" Cru: "Say one thing for her..she's almost as good of a showoff as I am..."

"Three" The bubbles had covered Ariel's entire body.

The redhead never made it to "two." The bubbles subsided. The denim had disappeared. In it place was wet hair, a glittering halter top.

And a tail.

A mermaid's tail.

Then Ariel held up a finger that bore a ring exactly like the one the younger blonde wore. "See, I have a moon ring too. Now let me dry off and get my legs back, then we can find out where your pod is and we can get you home."

 _ **TBC**_

* * *

 _ **Just so you know...I'm going to try to fit in as many OUAT and MM characters as possible...don't let the four I chose mislead you. I could only place four. There will be a couple of villains that you have met. Jealousy, revenge, and the usual world domination will fuel this.**_

 _ **Again, I've never written MM before. So encouragement would be very nice...**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes**

 _A few notes concerning my chronic lack of respect for canon.._

 ** _Mako_**

 _As you know, Sirena is in this, transferred to Storybrooke._

 _Lyla will be in this story, making the relationships between Zac, Evie, and Lyla...and maybe not in the way you think._

 _Evie keeps her tail._

 _Nixie returns_

 _Rita will be in this a well, with a relationship that can put her closer to at least two of the characters_

 _Cam/Carly and Sirena/David still in effect, Erik returns, Ondina will not trust him...in the beginning. Weilan is also in the house._

 _Everyone is 18+. Except for Neppie. You remember Neppie., don't you?_

 _Four villains, one from H20, One from Mako, two from OUAT._

 ** _OUAT_**

 _Since this will be in my At The End Of The Day universe (and I will work on that soon), WickedWolf and BlueCora will be in effect, hopefully._

 _SwanQueen and maybe EvilSwanQueen_

 _Rumple runs the town again. Belle is with him again and old friend might appear._

 _More explanations forthcoming._

 _The usual disclaimers..._

* * *

 **Gold Coast, Queensland (Australia)**

 **The home of former high school principal Rita Santos**

Two young women, aged 18, we looking over the railing of the lowest of three balconies, looking out over the South Pacific. Both were thin and athletic, though the blond was much taller than the brunette. If one could look at their faces, both women would definitely have streaks of tears in their faces.

The brunette at the blonde. "Lyla?"

"Yeah, Evie?"

"Will they ever find her?

"They will...we will. I have to believe we will. Sirena is too resourceful just to disappear without a trace. I have to... believe that..." Evie McLaren collapsed in tears as the taller blonde, Lyla, held her friend.

Both were mermaids. Lyla was born one, Evie became one through accident, and through an accident lost her tail, but regained her tail again through recreating the incident. Also, the two mermaids were not as close as they are today. There were initial suspicions based on the the fact that Evie was still, as her mermaid friends would call her, a land-girl.

Then there was Zac. Evie had known him since they were little. They had become boyfriend and girlfriend since junior high. They were there for each other through everything...including their mutual transformations into merpeople, Zac discovering he had another family...everything.

Lyla was there for Zac's transformation. In the beginning she and her companions, Nixie and Sirena, had one mission: to turn Zac back from merman to land-boy. But as Lyla got to know Zac, her feelings changed. She drew closer to Zac. And she fell, hard.

There was the expected initial jealousy, but that soon turned to friendship. And then, after she came back with Nixie from searching for a new home (never found one), she drew closer to Zac again. Surprisingly, she was drawn closer to Evie as well. Much closer.

Or as Lyla said to Evie one night, "One of the reasons I love you is that we both have similar fine tastes in mermen." That got the taller blonde a kiss from Evie and a blush from Zac as he laid between them.

 _That_ close.

But there was one other thing that linked the two: Their best friend Sirena.

Sirena was given that name because she had a beautiful voice, beautiful to either a merman or a land-woman. She had been friends with Lyla and Nixie since they were hatchlings...the merperson equivalent of children. In fact her voice is so beautiful, it was frightening. Especially since mermaids used a certain song of enchantment to lure fishermen, whalers, and pirates...as well as mermen during the war between the genders...to a watery doom.

But that wasn't Sirena. Not someone like her with a heart larger than the Pacific. She loved everyone, but she was only in love with one person: the quirky guy who ran the Gold Coast Ocean Cafe. The guy who gave her a shot at singing every night. The gangly guy who wrote songs for her almost obsessively. The one person who, when Sirena did have a chance to use her vocal powers for evil, instead used them to try to make him hers...not that it mattered, she was his already, and vice versa.

The one land-man she would give her life for if she had to. David.

And though it had only been three days since she vanished, David had been inconsolable. His manager, Carly and her boyfriend Cam had been running the cafe along with Evie. Carly stood in as the house singer.

And David was very appreciative of all that. But he still was in grief. David still wanted his Sirena back.

And David wasn't the only one. Sirena loved everyone. And everyone loved Sirena. And that's is why they were all going to find her and find out what happened to her.

Lyla wrapped her arms around Evie and gave the novice mermaid a long kiss on the side of her head, and then they both went inside. They knew that Zac, Ondina, and Weilan would back from their search for Sirena. Hopefully, there was good news.

Hopefully...

* * *

 **Granny's Diner**

 **Storybrooke, ME**

Sirena still was looking for the other shoe to drop. This strange place that she had been in for the last two days was so... _friendly_. Not to mention the fact that here she was, a mermaid. And everyone knew it. And she wasn't thought of as an outcast or strange or anything like that.

And so many people reminded her of the folks back home. The sheriff...Emma...reminded Sirena of her fellow mermaid Ondina, headstrong..but with a good heart. The mayor...and Emma's girlfriend...Regina, was a little like Rita Santos, her mentor...regal in stature, sure of herself.

The plate of fish'n'chips were set in front of her. The waitress flashed a toothy, almost flirty smile. Her name was Ruby, but substitute black hair for blonde, and she could have been her fellow mermaid Lyla...tall and confident, but she'd fall for anyone. Lyla already fell for both of her friends Zac and Evie...

She sat there, looking at a plate of fried cod and potatoes that she would normally devour like a madwoman. But she just sat, mainly because this did not be real. The first thing they teach in mermaid school is not to show yourself to land-folk. But then, her David knew. Cam and Carly knew. Evie's dad knew because she told him. But now, and _entire town_ knows.

And such a town. They nicknamed the Mayor the Evil Queen. Ther sheriff sometimes refers to this one couple as Snow White and Prince Charming...and in some cases Mom and Dad. This Snow...or Mary Margaret or whoever...reminded Sirena of another fellow mermaid, Mimmi, Zac's sister by blood...sweet, intelligent, inquisitive, or as she and Ondina often said, "Mimmi has to know everything!"

Not to mention deputy who calls herself Tinkerbell, and just today she swore she saw the woman who owns the ice cream store whip up a canister of Rocky Road by just waving her hands.

There is so much going on in this small town, it would make anyone's head swim. But for Sirena, the fact that she can be open about her tail and everything, after a lifetime of being told she had to hide...

The mermaid's contemplation was interrupted by the arrival of three plates of dinner (one, double cheeseburger, fries, and a large Dr Pepper, another being chicken salad and water, the third lobster and a large Diet Pepsi), and the subsequent seating of the Sheriff, the Mayor, and the redheaded mermaid named Ariel.

The conversations were easy in the beginning. The four women seemed to be a lot of fun: Mayor Regina had a regal air to her, but she wasn't that stuffy. Sheriff Emma was animated and more than a bit ribald. Their banter reminded Sirena of Ondina and Mimmi's occasional playful bickering. Ariel talked about her human husband Eric. That reminded Sirena of another Erik...the mermaid's Erik seemed more faithful than Ariel's.

The mermaid was also struck by the connection between Mayor and the Sheriff. Even through their bickering, it was the looks and the side smiles that got Sirena's attention. She had definitely figured out that these two were close.

The conversation eventually turned to how Sirena wound up on the shores of Maine. Sirena was nervous about it all, but in the scant three days since she has been to this small town, the mermaid began to trust the people that she had met here. They seemed willing to make her a friend. And willing to help her get home.

It was just Emma and Regina and Ariel. She guessed she could trust them. She began...

"It was a beautiful day under and above the ocean. I loved swimming with all of the creatures in the sea. They are all friends to me. Well, I started to notice the angelfish and yellow tang were acting weird...like they were swimming away from something. Then more and more fish were frantically swimming away. I should have listened to them...but we were charged with protecting Mako...that's the island we live on. I had to see what was going on, to let the others know...

It all happened so fast. There was...it looked like a tunnel of water. It was enormous..the biggest thing I've ever seen in the water. It started spinning...like a waterspout, only sideways...it was going faster and faster. It pulled me in like one of your vacuums. I could not fight it. I went in...I blacked out...and now I'm here..."

Sirena hid her head in her arms on the table. Then the attention of all seated was captured by a rather audible argument that had generated between the innkeeper, Granny, and a rather severe looking woman with a British accent, leaning on Cockney. They were arguing about meat deliveries or something like that. The younger, severe-looking woman caught a glimpse of the mermaid. It was an extended view, but the dark-haired woman said nothing, but said her goodbyes and stormed out of the inn.

"What was that?" asked Sirena

"That, my dear, was Bo," replied Regina. "Local hometown butcher and bitch deluxe..."

"Would that be like...Little Bo Peep?" Sirena was getting used to a town filled with DIsney denizens, as much as Storybrooke was getting used to a second mermaid.

Emma: "She's not that little, the..."

Regina: "Emma... _language_..." Sirena and Ariel first, followed by Emma and Regina covered their mouths to hid their attempts to quell a laugh.

As Granny walked out with a determined look to her office, leaving things to a tall, dark-haired Goth wearing lipstick that could only be called blood-red. The assembled quartet resumed the munching and conversation.

"That thing you mentioned, Sirena," said Regina, "Sounds like a classic waterborne portal..."

"We've had a lot of experience with things like that," added Emma. "My question is what was it doing starting in Australia?"

Ariel chimed in, "And who or what was it intended for...I mean that's a long trek from Australia to Maine, not to mention a lot of land you have to go through."

The conversation was interrupted again, by the goth-waitress who came by their table. "Hi, my name is Ruby, I'm your server tonight. Is everything fine?"

"As usual, Rubes," said Emma with a mouth full of burger, while Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head, the directing her eyes to the mermaid. "Now," the Mayor said, faux-complaining, "you see what _I_ have to deal with everyday..." That elicited a chuckle from three of the four. Sirena just gave a small smile. It was obvious the newcomer still had home on her mind. Ruby simply smiled that big smile of hers, told the four to call her if she needed anything, the turned and walked away to wait on the table next to them.

Ariel understood what it meant to be a merperson in a world of land people...she married one after all. The redhead took the blonde mermaid's hand and told her that things would work out. Especially in Storybrooke. "Miracles are an everyday thing here. We'll try to get you back home, don't worry..."

Sirena sighed with a bit of frustration. "I just need to get back home soon. The full moon is in a few days and I need to be in the moon pool..." She then looked at Ariel. "I guess you don't know what that is..."

"Know..?" Ariel said in mock incredulity, "We _have_ one!"

And as Sirena's eyes opened wide at the news, the voice of a certain waitress spoke up...

"Did anyone say anything about a...full moon...?"

* * *

 **Bo's Butcher Shop**

 **Storybrooke, ME...a few moments later...**

The severe-looking woman entered her shop after walking out of Granny's. There was something...or someone...that she noticed at the Inn that caused her to cease her weekly argument with Eugenia Lucas and head back to the shop. She sat down at the computer and composed a hurriedly-thought out e-mail.

 _From bopeep_

 _It seems that the net we cast out is reaping rewards. The first one came in three days ago. Serena, I think._

 _Please advise._

 _Bo._

The woman waited for a reply. It did not take long.

 _From DeloresT_

 _Excellent. And I think we hit the jackpot. The most powerful once outside of the Blakely boy._

 _Good! Keep an eye out. Update me soon._

 _Trumble._

* * *

 **TBC**

* * *

 _ **So, the plot develops. I was going to do more, but I wanted this posted as soon as I could. So, do you recognize one of the villains? If you watch closely, you will notice a baddie that should have gotten a lot more screentime on MM. Tell you more in the next chapter.**_

 _ **And your comments, likes, and kudos are very welcome. How am I doing? Let me know.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's notes**

 _Thank you for stopping by. And thanks across the platforms to_ _JamieOUAT_ _,_ _SuperWhoAvengLockian_ _, DaniG, and the legendary_ _IziWilson76_ _for their comments, likes, and kudos._

 _This should be a shorter one...and there is a point to all of this (but then I always promise that...do I?)_

 _Comments to me are like a tail to Cam...would love to have one. The usual disclaimers._

* * *

 **The Pacific Ocean between the Island of Mako and the Gold Coast.**

He figured it was either 7 or 8 in the morning. It didn't matter really. Eric Waterman stopped counting time two years ago. That was when he lost everything...job, friends, the one he loved. He pretty much was told to get lost after the incident. For once, it seemed Eric Waterman did what he was told, for he was lost...a merman without a pod...or anyone or anything else.

Two years ago, he was a sight to behold: rugged, clean-shaven. He could have had his pick lovers, male or female, land or merperson. But he only wanted very one: blonde, independent, no-bullshit. Her name was...and probably still is...Ondina.

And of all things and people Eric lost in his quest for...he's not even sure now...power, protecting the mer-world...none of that was more important than losing Ondina.

So it has been two years. He has stayed in Gold Coast, but he had not been to the Ocean Cafe since trying to start up the chamber. He did not know that doing so would put mermaids in jeopardy...he actually thought he was trying to protect them in some way. Merpeople don't drink the kinds of alcohol humans drink, so his sorrow-drowning was literally that...staying in the water as much as possible.

He had heard that mermaids, mermen, and a few land-people had rebuilt the chamber, but he didn't want to go there. And though there was never an official banning, it may have just as well been, considering it was strongly implied that Eric should make himself _persona non grata_ on a permanent basis.

But he still remembers. All of them. Especially Ondina. The torch he carries continues to burn after all this time. But he's smart enough not to cause any additional waves.

The ocean floor is filled with discards. Eric has found wallets, cash, jewelry, a couple of actual dead land-person bodies...they may have solved a mystery or two, but it wasn't the merman's concern. This morning, as he scoured the ocean floor he noticed something. It was gold and shiny...and familiar. He swims over, picks up the object. It's a bracelet...and a beautiful one at that. The merman recognizes it as similar to on that the land-boy David gave to the mermaid Sirena. And as he reads the inscription inside that bracelet, it is definitely hers.

Eric carried a waterproof canvas bag for things he collects. He places the bracelet in the bag and swims toward to Gold Coast. All he wants is to return the bracelet to its owner. Anything else he does not deserve. At least that's how Eric felt.

* * *

 **Storybrooke, ME, USA: The home of Eric and Ariel Prince**

There were now two Erics in the life of the mermaid Sirena. The one that was married to her new found friend Ariel she like better than the one that almost destroyed her island home of Mako. It had been five days since she had washed ashore in this fishing town over 14,000 away from home. The people that she had encountered in this small town had been very friendly, even the woman that some had called the Evil Queen, though she didn't know where that moniker came from, she did not know the woman's name...maybe for her sort-of seductive demeanor and the fact that she seemed to like to show the cleavage more than her twin sister or cousin or whatever, Regina.

She was staying with Ariel and the "good" Eric for a few days while some of the good citizens of Storybrooke were figuring out how to get her back to Gold Coast. The town actually had...the best way to describe it was "portal specialists." And such specialists: the mayor's half sister and the two women who run the ice cream parlor. The former was married to the waitress she met at Granny's Inn, and there was The Snow Queen from a place called Arendelle.

 _That_ Arendelle.

She sat at the dinner table of Ariel and Eric's, closed her eyes and thought that she had landed in a place that held every Disney property imaginable. She halfway expected Princess Leia to stop by with cookies and a Wookie.

Thankfully, Ariel, being a fellow mermaid, understood somethings. That was noted when redhead brought for a tray of prawns and shrimp in various stages of rawness, Along with orange juice. Eric settled for the cooked shrimp, for he could never get used to the raw stuff.

Afterwards, the couple took Sirena downstairs to the couple's own personal grotto...well, it wasn't so much of a grotto than the one under the home of Sirena's mentor, Rita Santos, but it was a pretty substantial underground pool, fully lighted, with enough room to swim, sit, and...and least for Ariel...sleep on those times when she needed to be submerged. It was filled with ocean salt water, with a tunnel that connected to the nearby Atlantic.

The next few hours were spent in conversation about life in a town filled with the storybook characters everyone loved as opposed to the Gold Coast of Australia and Mako Island, which Sirena calls the most beautiful place on Earth.

Around 11, Eric decided it was time to turn in...even though the customers were only the people in a town that was, to the outside world, non-existent...the man did have a fishery to run. Eric kissed his wife on the lips, and the visiting mermaid on the cheek, then left to go upstairs to the nearby bedroom, but not before advising that if there is a problem, push a button. There were three of those buttons that surrounded the rocky edge of the pool, connected to the master bedroom if needed. Ariel's hubby thinks of almost everything...

Two more hours of chat and leftover prawns, and then the two mermaids decided to turn in, but not before the blonde asked to redhead about the origin of Storybrooke. "It's a long story, and we're meeting up with Snow and David tomorrow for breakfast, we can let them tell it." When the name David was spoken, there was a jolt that went through the blonde mermaid's body, for it reminded her of _her_ David: his sweet, goofy, innocent face flashed in front of her mind's eye, and she realized that as much as this little town was grown on Sirena, it wasn't Mako, it wasn't home, it wasn't her David's arms.

And with that, Sirena softly started to cry. Ariel came over and embraced her in the water, then used her power of electrokinesis to lower the lights above the pool. And then the two mermaids embraced each other as the drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **Gold Coast: Home of Rita Santos**

One in the morning in Maine was three in the afternoon on the Gold Coast. It was at that time that Eric Waterman, banished merman, walked up the steps to Rita's home. He had known that Rita was replaced by Delores Trumble, a human almost hated in the Mako universe. Rita knew that there was something villainous about the science teacher, that her interest in chemistry was less scientific and more...well she had her suspicions. But if she told anyone, it would lead to Zac and the girls.

Eric could care less about this anymore. He just wanted to get the bracelet back into the hands of Sirena, then go away. No one wanted him around, and Eric couldn't blame them.

So Eric rang the doorbell. He knew no one would welcome him in. But the one thing he did not want was to come face to face with the one person who probably hated him the most.

It was the one thing he did not want that opened the door.

"Eric...?"

"Ondina...?

They both stood there, astonished. Jaws open. Hearts pounding...

 **TBC**

* * *

 _ **Next:**_ _Sirena finds out Storybrooke's story, Eric's discovery provides a major clue, and the mermaid population of Storybrooke rises exponentially._

 _Comments, criticisms, bouquets, and brickbats are, as always begged for. Next update in a week or so..._


	4. Chapter 4

Author's notes:

First, congratulations to Lucy Fry ("Lyla"), who's starring in the American series Wolf Creek. She's a fantastic actress, playing the part of a young woman seeking revenge for the murder of her parents. There's a lot of Lyla in this, and she rocks a mean US accent, so keep watching.

Still don't know if Evil Regina will make this, or any of the OUAT S5 characters. Also, who do you think would make a good match for Nixie? She's the only one not paired up. Could be a Mako or Once characters, male or female. I'll take suggestions.

And BTW, sorry for the delay...getting through this election, and my muse going off to Borneo for the holiday has put stuff on hold. But I'm back (you've been warned).

Feed the COMMENT beast.

This particular chapter will be in POV style.

The usual disclaimers.

* * *

Home of Rita Santos. Erik's POV

I don't want to be here. I don't because I fucked up royally. Trying to activate the merman chamber on Mako was the biggest mistake of my life. Mainly because it led to my losing Ondina. Ondina is a mermaid, as much as I am a merman. I loved her, though I never really had the chance to tell her or show her. I truly thought that if I could activate that chamber I could protect Ondina and all the other mermaids on the island. Maybe I let lust for power override judgement. Maybe I was a fool.

I came to learn that Ondina had not found anyone else. I should be happy about that, but I'm not. I know that a boy named Zac who was part of this had gotten together with his girlfriend Evie, but there was another mermaid named Lyla who had gotten close to them. Zac had a mermaid sister...Mimmi...who had an off and on relationship. One of my ex-bosses, Carly is close to a guy named Cam...the traitor. There's another mermaid I never met named Nixie. There is Rita, a rather cold fish who was the principal of the school I had to attend who houses them all. And I almost forgot my other ex-boss David. He still runs the cafe I used to work at. He has a brother who has become the Donald Trump of the Gold Coast...real estate wise, at least, David is also engaged to another mermaid, Sirena, who sings at the cafe.

And Sirena is why I'm standing at the door of Rita's home, holding a bracelet that I found while swimming near the coast. I just want to give someone the necklace and leave. Nothing more, nothing less.

I ring the doorbell. I remember coming to this house through...shall one say...the back door...the entrance to the grotto below this house's three stories. I remember the first time, just Ondina and I. I keep thinking if I was not so stupid, that we could have been happy.

I ring a second time. I keep thinking about the long walks and swims we took. The smiles we shared. The kisses we shared...

But that was a long time ago.

I could just put this in a bag and leave it. But that would be too impersonal. I just want to deliver it and leave.

I heard some footsteps. Probably Rita. She yell, tell me to go die somewhere. I'll hand the necklace to her., say my goodbyes and be gone. When the door opened, though, I realized I would not be that lucky...

When the door opened...she still looked as beautiful as the last time I saw her...

"Hello, Ondina..."

She was quiet for a moment, cocked head in that way of hers.

"What the fuck are you doing here...?"

* * *

Granny's Diner, Storybrooke, ME, Sirena's POV

I sat at the booth, picking over my plate if fish and chips, thinking about my Mako pod. My family. Don't get me wrong...here are a lot of nice people here in this Storybrooke place... the Mayor and the Sheriff...Ariel and Eric-with-a-C (There is one with a K that I know...the less-said the better). Even the man they said owns the town...Gold, I think...looks gruff, but he also looks like he has a heart of...well...

So I take a bit of fried fish...not bad actually, though raw prawns are much better...oh, speak of the devil, there's the group now. There's Regina and Emma, and four other people. One is a stunning redhead, another is a mature but attractive blonde, and this really nice looking couple. They all gathered around my booth. Funny, all I have been taught about land-people, yet I trust these people almost as much as I trust my David...

There are introductions: Regina introduced the redhead as Zelena, her sister. The older blonde was named Ingrid Sarah Fisher, or just Ingrid. She and her niece run the local ice cream parlor. The couple was Mary-Margaret and David. I have to say that Mary-Margaret's David was quite dashing...charming, even. Still, with all due respect, he wasn't my David.

So everyone sat down, the waitress came over, everyone ordered something to eat, and when that was done, the talking started. Regina said that Zelena and Ingrid were skilled in portals. I asked what that was and Ingrid said that portals were gateway, in some cases magical, from one point to another. That point could be geographic or even another realm. When I asked about realms Zelena explained it...it was kind of like how Rita taught us about other dimensions parallel to the one we live in. But, in most cases, those portals are targeted, either coming or going.

"We think...and it's only a theory," Regina said, "..but we think you were caught up in that portal. Now we don't know if you were the intended target or maybe there were others targeted. But something brought you here and we are beginning to believe that you were a target, or at least one of the targets."

I was gobsmacked at what I was hearing. I asked who would want to do something like that?

"Maybe...you?" The tall, bearded man who came in unannounced looked at me with a rather suspicious glare, even as he gave Emma a kiss on the forehead. However it seemed the Sheriff was none too pleased with the man's attitude. Mary Margaret tried to be a peacemaker by introducing me to the man named Killian Jones. Emma described him has her off again-on again boyfriend. And the way that Emma gave this Killian the let's-talk-outside signal. And as the pair walk towards the door, I noticed that his left hand was missing.

I remarked that with that missing hand and all the leather he was wearing, he reminded me of Captain Hook. "Well, dear," said Regina, "since you already know about some of us.." (referring to Ariel and her Eric-with-a-C) "...that leather-clad clod trying to make points with my Emma is actually Captain Hook.." As I sat there with wide eyes, Regina pointed a few things out...the waitress with the full moon obsession was also Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf...the gruff-looking bearded man that was at the bar sipping coffee, that was Grumpy the Dwarf and a fairy named Nova. And the two idiots sitting next to her (Mary Margaret: "I told you don't call us idiots...!") errr...nice couple was really Snow White and her prince David.

"You mean Prince Charming," I asked.

"Actually," said the Prince, "Just call me David."

I sat there adding one plus one. "So, you must be..."

Mary Margaret...errr...Snow finished the line: "her best friend in the whole world...and the one who put me to sleep with a poisoned apple."

I was confused, how could the Evil Queen of yore be Snow White's best friend? As Snow told me, the one thing I would have to get used to is the term, "it's a long story" as an answer.

So I attempted to turn the subject to these portals being the reason I wound up 15,000 kilometers from Mako...give or take a meter or two.

"Part one," answered the redheaded Zelena, "maybe be simpler. 50/50. Either the caster of the portal was where you were and sent you out, or that caster is here and pulled you in. Is there anyone who would have the power to cast you out from this...what was it, Mako?" There were only two answers that I can think of. The former head of the mermaid council, Veridia. Her actions surrounding my friend Zac and a mermaid chamber on Mako led to her being cast out, and being replaced by Rita Santos. So, I would think that the second most powerful mermaid (Rita was top of the class, always) would not be happy. But would she go to this trouble.

Then there was the former principal at Zac's land school, Delores Trumble. She replaced Rita there as well after several incidents where Trumble used the school lab for what was vaguely noted as "personal projects" without going into detail. And it was obvious as Trumble stormed out of the school office that she took the dismissal very personally.

The older blonde, Ingrid, snapped Sirena out if her thought pattern. "There's also the possibility that someone here in Storybrooke pulled you in. The question is, who?"

Emma and Regina looked at each other..a look that positively screamed "again" Then the Sheriff picked up the the phone and so into it: "OK Google... call Tink...tell her we need to talk to.." Emma scrunched her face..."the usual suspects..." I asked why everyone else was chuckling, and Zelena said something about a movie called "Casa..." something or other, and that it was one of Regina and Emma's favorite movies. The redhead added that the two cannot go more than 20 minutes into that movie without making out.

So our breakfast came, and we dug in. Zelena and Ingrid continued to talk about if the found the person responsible for whatever portal or vortex I got sucked into, then there might be a way to go home. And as nice as these people have been, home was the one place I wanted to be.

It was then that I rubbed my neck and noticed that the necklace David gave me was gone. Must have lost it in the thing I was sucked into. And it was my only connection to him. Now I miss home even more.

TBC

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Soon...Sirena gets company...a lot of company. And we find out who is behind this...and why.

Have a great holiday.


	5. The Prodigal Merman

_**Author's notes**_

 _This chapter will be split into two parts, and is going to be heavy on Mako because we have to get them to Storybrooke somehow. After that things should speed up. Also, I will probably have shorter chapters, that will allow me to finish other works I've been pounding out. Thanks for your patience. Writer's block and it shows._

 _The usual disclaimers. Some strong language. Reviews are welcome._

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 **Gold Coast, QLD, AUS 3pm POV: Ondina**

I only fell in love twice. Once was with the mermaid who is still my best friend, Mimmi. She was and is incredible but we realized we were oil and water. Great at copulation, not that great in the girlfriend department.

Then there was Eric Waterman. I was wary of him at first, and maybe I should have listened to my head. But then my heart and my loins took over. Eric's kisses did not help matters much. But then I was so lost in those kisses they overtook my brain.

Then came the Chamber. Yes, Eric tried to stop it, yes he meant well, but his almost killed us. I hated him for it. I broke from him and I never saw him after that.

But then it was Eric who left on his own. Maybe I wanted him to stay. Maybe...maybe I wanted to forgive him.

But that was two years ago. Now Sirena is missing. I don't know what had happened to her. Not to mention Eric is there. Standing in front of me at the front door of Rita's house, with something of Sirena. Something that could tell us where she is or at least what happened to her. And as I saw him standing there three things were on my mind: Sirena. How I wanted to throttle Eric for what he did. And how I wanted to tackle him right there and make insane love to him right on the steps. For his sake, I decided not to act for the latter two.

I invited him in, he accepted. There were no words as I pulled the book that opened the lift that went down to Rita's grotto. That grotto was a hive of activity this morning as everyone got their marching orders to try to find Sirena. Now it was almost empty, save for Rita, who was minding Neptina...I mean Neppie, the little teenage hatchling who has made me her hero _(I, in turned, adopted the little troublemaker...I say that with love, really...but that's another story for another time)_ , Cam and Carly, and our newest edition to our mini-pod, Weilan. When I appeared with Eric at the top below the grotto, Weilan was wondering who this man was. Everyone else didn't. And I could see the others wanting for various reasons to for a lynching party right there.

"Why the hell are you here." I've never seen Cam that tensely angry. Neppie just bore a hole in Eric's eyes with hers. And it was clear that Rita Santos was doing all she can to hold back. "State your business, Mr. Waterman, then get the hell...out...of..my...house..."

I can see Eric's eyes were hollow and empty. There was no life in them or in him. There was a part of me who wanted to forgive him for everything. But I couldn't forgive him. But Neppie didn't make things easier.

"He doesn't know." Among the things that makes Neppie such a handful is the fact that on top of all of her abilities, she is a natural clairvoyant. Nixie, Lyla, and Mimmi had been developing those abilities and had been doing quite well, but Rita says that Neppie is more advanced than any creature she has encountered. Neppie had, as she would say, looked inside Eric's thinking..what Nep calls "layers of thinking." "Eric doesn't know about what happened to Sirena..."

But before anyone could say anything everyone has come in from the ocean entrance of the grotto. Zac, Lyla, and Evie _(holding each other's hands as always)_ , Zac's sister Mimmi, and my friend Nixie.

At the first sight of Eric, the girls just stood there wide-eyed, but Zac just went insane. He lunged at Eric and it was all Cam could do to hold the merman back from attacking the outcast. And in that exchange, I noticed something...Eric did not fight back. He did not even shield himself.

"What the fuck are you doing back here you sonovabitch!" For the two years I had known Zac, he never swore, ever. But then, this was first time he had seen the man who almost killed him and the two people he loved in that time. He was white hot and breathing heavy. Lyla and Evie each held an arm, probably hoping their touches would calm him down. They did seem to a bit, but he was still consumed with anger at Eric.

I watched Eric. He seemed like a man who had already died inside. Those eyes that used to sparkle with life and mischief had faded. Whatever anger I had when I opened the door a few minutes ago had turned to pity, then sadness.

Eric handed the bracelet over to Zac. He recognized it right away. It was the same bracelet Sirena wore just before she disappeared. Still angry, Zac demanded that Eric tell where he found it. "It was near the entrance to the moon pool...why?" Before anyone could answer, Neppie reminded all in the room that he didn't know.

It was Rita who took a deep breath and explained that Sirena had vanished somewhere near Mako days ago, and that the entire mini-pod had been looking for her since.

It was Nixie who made the suggestion to allow Eric to lead the gang to the spot where the bracelet was, but that idea was on the minds of just about everyone in the room. It was agreed, they would go back, with the addition of Eric. I decided to go as well, partially because Sirena was my friend. Also, very few in the room trusted Eric, but right now he was the only key to what

may have happened to Sirena. Did I trust him? Thirty minutes ago, I didn't. Now, I'm not so sure. Meanwhile, Cam, Carly, and David would stay with Rita and Neppie while others would go out, meeting up with Evie's dad and another person on the boat, helping out with the search.

With that decided, we headed out. We all dove into the pool that lead out to the ocean and swam at superspeed. None of us knew what we would find.

None of us knew what would eventually happen.

 **TBC**

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 **Author's closing notes** :

 _ **Yes, not the best I have ever done...as I said, writer's block. But the next chapter will get our heroes to where they belong. We might even see the bad guys they had to fight. And if you are a fan of OUAT or Mako, you've met at least four of them!**_

 _ **Comments and ideas are not only welcome, I really need to hear them. All mistakes are mine. God I need a beta!**_


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